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Exeter murder trial

Their bodies were discovered by police in the days following the attacks. The full horror of the deaths shocked the city and sparked a major police investigation.

Lewis-Ranwell, from Croyde, is standing trial at Exeter Crown Court.

He denies murder, admitting he killed all three but saying he was insane at the time and did not realise what he was doing was against the law.

Mr Payne's home in Bonhay Road

On Wednesday the jury heard prosecution evidence about his movements before, after and on the day of the killings.

Prosecutor Mr Richard Smith QC told the court that on the afternoon of February 10, the defendant was on his own walking around the streets of Exeter.

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"At about 12.30pm his wanderings took him down Bonhay Road in the St David's area of the city," Mr Smith told the jury.

"At number 65, a rundown small terrace house, lived an elderly man called Anthony Payne.

"The defendant stopped at Mr Payne's house and read a note on the door which spoke about the occupant being an elderly man of 80 years of age.

Police at an address in Cowick Lane in Exeter, Devon,

"The defendant went in through the front door of No 65 Bonhay Road. He found or followed Mr Payne upstairs to a bedroom where the defendant took a hammer and bludgeoned Mr Payne to death with blows to the head.

"Moments later the defendant was back out and walking the streets again."

Mr Smith went on: "About two-and-three-quarter hours later on the same Sunday afternoon, the defendant was by then walking down Cowick Lane in the St Thomas area of the city - about one-and-a-half miles from where the first killing had taken place.

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"At 109 Cowick Lane lived the elderly Carter twin brothers. Rather like 65 Bonhay Road, it had the appearance of being unkempt and rundown. The Carter twins were 84 years of age.

"One of the Carter brothers ushered the defendant out of the property when he tried to get in through the front gates.

"Undeterred, this defendant went around the back of the house and scaled a wall.

Alexander Lewis-Ranwell (Image: Facebook)

"He took up a spade from the garden and went into the Carter brothers' house. Once inside, the defendant beat both brothers to death with blows to the head from the spade."

Mr Smith added: "There is no dispute in this case that the defendant killed all three elderly men. There is also no dispute about this defendant did the killing. These circumstances are not in dispute and are agreed."

The trial was also told about the defendant's movements In North Devon before he arrived in Exeter. He attacked a farmer with a 4ft saw and tried to snatch a taser from a police officer who arrested him. He was arrested twice but released. The defendant was eventually arrested on Monday February 11 after attacking staff at the Rougemont Hotel in Queen Street Exeter.

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"If your verdict is yes, you will find him not guilty by reason of insanity. If the answer is no, you will find him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter."

The jury was told the trial will hear witness evidence from a number of a people and reference to several mental health institutions including Broadmoor High Security Hospital, Langdon Hospital in Dawlish, and North Devon District Hospital.

Lewis-Ranwell, who was educated at the fee-paying West Buckland School near Exmoor, appeared in the dock flanked by several security and staff from Broadmoor.